Automatic-feed nail stripper



Dec.V

c: c. CALVERT AUTOMATIC FEED NA`I'L lSTRIPPER Filed NOV. 20.. 1922 Y several views.

Patented lDDec. 18, i923.

this,

Application filed November 20, 1922. Serial No. 601,996.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. CALvERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lodi, countyV ofV San Joaquin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic-Feed Nail Strippers; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in nail stripping machines such as are commonly usedY inconnection with box making and the like.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a device of this character with a means for automatically feeding the nails into the stripper-channels as the boirshook to be nailed is slid, into the usual holding form. v

This feature eliminates the necessity of the bon maker having to continually stop in his work to feed nails into the stripper chutes, as must be done with the machines in use at present, and which cuts down his output of boxes to a marked degree.

A further object is to arrange the feed actuating means so that the stripper and nail holding box do not have to bear a fixed and unchangeable relation to the box form, but they may be adjusted as to the space therebetween, or their height relative to each other, may be altered to suit the in dividual worker.

A further object of vthe invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which-will be exceedingly effectiveV for the purposes for which it is designed. These objects I accomplish by means of such structure Aand relative arrangement of partsas will fully appear by aperusal of the following specification and ciaiins.

In therr drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the Fig. l is a perspgctive view of the coniplete apparatus showing the saine as arranged in connection with a box-form.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectionof thenail container, and the nail feeding mechanism. 5

Fig. 3 is an end view of the feed-actuating device, showing the same Vas positioned in Vconnection with a boX form.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral l denotes a box having a lid 2 which is adapted to be held in a vertical position when desired by strap braces 3. Mounted in the lid a predetermined distantl above the box and extending thereoyer is tray 4, the outer end of which is open at ant across the bottom to foi-m a discharge 5, said bottom adjacent said discharge being formed as an apron 6 sloping downwardly thereto.

Under said discharge is a chute 7, sloping downwardly towart the lid 2, the chute being longitudinally grooved as at 8, said grooves communicating with slotted nailholding members 9 extending beyond the chute, for the purpose as usual of holding nails in single lile alineinent. The chute is pivoted or hinged transversely to the tray 4, the lower end of the members 9 being connected by a .cross-bar l() which is removably held or connected to the braces 3 at any one of a number of vertically spaced points thereon, so that the angle of the chute structure may be altered at will.

rihe parts thus far described are common to the usual forni of nail-stripper, and the .--l SE (D members 4 and 7 are adapted to be moved ii to lie in the box, and the lid of the latter to be then lowered to enclose the saine.

My improved automatic feeding mechanism comprises a screw-shaft l1 extending longitudinally and centrally of the tray journaled in boxes l2 mounted at the upper and opposite ends of the tray.

Mounted on the outer end of the shaft is a spider comprising a plurality of substantially radial fingers 13 which are adapted to project, toV a certain extent, into the discharge opening 5 adjacentthe end of the apron 6. Slidable in the trayand extending transversely thereof is a pusher plate 14 to which is lined an inverted V- shaped yoke 15 having vertical slots 16 which straddle the shaft 1l, thD upper edge of the forward slot and the lower edge of the rear slot being adapted to engage with the shaft. Y

By means of this construction, if lot of nails are placed in the tray ahead of the plate 14 and the latter moved by hand into engagement therewith, when the shaft is rotated the said plate will then be moved forward, forcing` the nails toward the spider and into the discharge. rllhe function of the spider is to engage the nails as they project into the path of movement thereof and prevent the nails from packing, as is their tendency to do. The nail-pack will then be broken and the nails will then fall freely down and into the chute, a certain percentage dropping into the members 9, as usual, the nails not caught by said members being placed back into the tray again by the operatorat his convenience. y y

l/Vhen the plate 14 has moved forwardto its limit of travel in that direction, it may be returned to the opposite end ofthe tray by hand by merely tilting it so that the shaft 11 is free of the slotedges, allowing 0f said plate being slidl along on the shaft Without .disturbing the latter. y

The shaft 11 is rotated by means of a lieXible enclosed shaft structure 17 of any standard desi-gn which is connected atione endto the inner lend of the shaft 11 and eX- tends thencel to a supporting bracket, or pedestal 18 adapted to be mounted on the working bench 19 on which the box 1 is mounted, and `positioned between said box and the box-making form 20.

Driven from said shaft 17 by bevel vgears 21 or otherwise isl a vertical extension 22,

on which is mounted a ratchet or friction wheel 23, a one-way spring-clutch mechanism 24 being interposed between said wheel and shaft extension, so that rotation of said ei;- tension, which `may be considered as a part of the shaft 17, will only be had with a movement of said wheel in one direction.

Auxiliary means may also beprovidedfif desired for rotating said shaft 17, will onlyv be had Awith a movement of s'aid wheel in one direction.` .l

Auxiliary means may also be provided if desired for rotating said shaft in the same direction independent of the wheel23, this means comprising a sprocket wheel25 on the shaft r17, driven `by achain 26 leading to any suitable actuating means such as a foot treadle '(not shown) there being also a one-way spring'clutch structure 27 interposed between said sproclet wheel and'shaft.

ln this manner, the shaft maybe rotated intermediatel the rotative Vperiods of the wheel 23, which are intermittent.

The wheel 23'is positioned so'as to slightly overhang the inner face of the form 20, so as to be frictionally engaged and rotatedby a box-shook 28 as the latter is slid into place in the form against said Vinnerjface thereof. The clutch structure 24: allows the lwheelto again rotate as the shook is withdrawn without imparting'rotation to ythe shaft, while the clutch 27 allows ofrotation of said shaft when 'actuated by the wheel. 23 without'imparting rotation to the wheel 25.

It will therefore beseen that everytime a shook isri'nserted in the form, some of the nails'in the tray will be automatically fed into the holding members 9, without any attention on the part of the boxtmalrer being necessary, and a supply of nails sufficient for the needs of theworker is maintained in said members at al1-times'.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seenV that 4I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

YVhile this specification sets forth in "detail the present and prefered construction Vof the device, still in practice suchfdeviations from such detail may beresorted to las do ,not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.`

Having thus describedlmy'invzention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v 1. A nail stripping device ineludinga nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, means mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute Vand'mrjving means projecting into the mass `of nails 'for agitating and preventing the packing offthe same prior to their entryinto the chute.

2. A nail stripping device including anail tray, a discharge chute leadingtherefrom, a transverse plate in the tray adapted-to be positioned behind any ynails itherein, means for moving said plate in a direction to force the nails toward the chute,"andmeansfactiiated byv said first nained means for preventing the "packing ofany nails prior'to their entry into the chute. Y

8. A nail stripping" device including a-n'ail tray, a discharge chute leading. therefrom, a transverse plate in thetrayadapted :to be positioned behind any'nails therein, a rotatable sc'rew-shaftengaging said plate andarranged to move the latter forward 'as the shaft rotates, and/a plurality 'of fingers mounted on the 'shaft adjacent the' entry of the chute from the tray and projecting into the path of movement of said nails.' g

il. A nail stripping device for bex-makers :using a form in which to slide the'boX shook,

including a nail'tray, a` discharge Vchute leadchute leading therefrom,"a;member mounted in the tray for forclngtnails therein toward the chute, a rotatab'leshaft fory actuating said member, and means actuated. by .the movement of a shook'into the form for rotating said shaft. e e

6. A nail strippin'gdevice forboX-nialrers .using fa form in which to slide theboxsho'ol,

including a nail tray', a discharge vchute'lleading therefrom,V means inounted'in'the tray iso ing therefrom, and means actuated by the movement of a shook into the form for causing nails to be automatically fed from the tray into the chute.

7. A nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the box shook, including` a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a friction wheel positioned to be engaged by a shook as it is moved into the form, and means between said wheel and said member for moving the latter with the rotation of said wheel.

8. A nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the box shook, including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a rotatable shaft mounted on the tray and operatively connected to said member to move the same, a friction wheel positioned to be engaged by a shook as it is moved into the form, and driving shaft means between said wheel and the first named shaft.

9. A nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the boX shook, including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for :forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a rotatable shaft mounted on the tray and operatively connected to said member to move the same, a friction wheel positioned to be engaged by a shook as it is moved into the form, and a flexible shaft structure connected at one end to the wheel and at the other end to the first named shaft, whereby the position of the wheel relative to the tray may be altered at will.

l0. A nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the boX shook, including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a rotatable shaft mounted on the tray and operatively connected to said member to move the same, a friction wheel positioned to be engaged by a shook as it is moved into the form, driving shaft means between said wheel and the first named shaft, and means between said wheel and the driving shaft means whereby the latter will only be rotated with a movement of the wheel in one direction.

ll. A. nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the box shook, including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a rotatable shaft mounted on the tray and operatively connected to said member to move the same, a friction wheel positioned to be engaged by a shook as it is moved into the form, driving shaft means between said wheel and the first named shaft, and a one-way spring clutch mechanism interposed between the wheel and drive shaft, the wheel being turnably mounted on the latter.

i2. A nail stripping device for box-makers using` a form in which to slide the boX shook including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, a member mounted in the tray for forcing any nails therein toward the chute, a rotatable shaft for actuating said member, means actuated by the movement of a shook into the form for rotating the shaft, and independent means for likewise rotating the shaft,

13. A nail stripping device for box-makers using a form in which to slide the box shook including a nail tray, a discharge chute leading therefrom, means actuated by the movement of a shook into the form for causing nails to be automatically fed from the tray into the chute, and independent means for likewise causing the nails to be so fedln testimony whereof l afliX my signature.

CHARLES C. CALVERT. 

